We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful India Russell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with India below.
India, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
The name of my company is very original and personal to me. It was inspired by my kids Kwame and Lilly, two of the most important people in my life. When brainstorming a name I knew it would have to be something that is near and dear to my heart, something that I wouldn’t give up on when things got tough.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I was born and raised in Savannah, GA with roots in the low country part of South Carolina. I studied Business and Accounting while acquiring skills in Medical Office and Hospitality. I have always had a passion for Fashion! I was not going anywhere not even school if I felt like I was half stepping. However, I’ve never dreamed of being the owner of a boutique or having a business in the Fashion Industry. I did know I wanted to have my own business and more specifically an ecommerce business, that’s why when the opportunity presented itself I took advantage of the offer.
KLilly is The Brand, we offer in Fashion ready-to-wear pieces and custom jewelry. Our mission is to provide timeless pieces that would lasts for years to come with the convenience of shopping online with an in-person feel! We pride our brand on providing high quality items at affordable prices so that our customers can focus on elevating their wardrobes without draining their bank accounts. What makes our brand different is the desire to satisfy each customer’s needs based on their own personal style and body type. We aim to please; not just to meet sales goals. I am so proud to be the go to brand for hardworking women like myself for professional or relaxed looks and when it’s time to celebrate special milestones such as Birthdays, Anniversaries, and photo shoots. I am very excited to announce we will soon offer a more personalized experience for customers needing personal styling and wardrobe assistance beginning this year, 2023.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
January 14, 2022, I was forced to pack my office where I worked as an Administrative Assistant for the State of Georgia. Although, my desire was to one day leave and pursue something more fulfilling I was totally blind sided that morning. My main source of income was gone, and I had no plan to fall back on. So while many thought I quit my job to focus on my business I was forced into becoming a full time entrepreneur due to being unemployed because I had no desire to find another job.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I had no initial capital to fund my business. I did everything bit by bit from the income of my job and the money I had saved which was a big mistake! When I started I had little knowledge on business credit and funding. I started my business by joining a Facebook group that taught us how to dropship products. We were told that little to no money was needed to start a business. I learned very quickly that this was not true. I depleted my saving within a year of being in business and by the time I learned about business funding and credit I was completed overwhelmed and ready to quit my business. Now I am more educated on funding and the importance of business capital. No one should fund their business out of their pocket, there’s too many funding options available for businesses, all you need is proper structure and the right resources.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.klillyonlineshop.com
- Instagram: klillyonlineco
- Facebook: klillyonlineco
- Youtube: KLilly the Brand
Image Credits
Solo picture, (4), and (6) from second set of photos shot by: Triple S. Shots Picture (1) and (2) shot by: Visible Memories LLC Picture (3) shot by: Shine Time Magazine LLC